Welcome to Day One of the calendar year. Most resolutions don’t make it past the first day of sore quads. But you’re here, loading a ruck or sandbag, and getting ready to do hard things while every gym parking lot turns into a gladiator arena of “new year, new me” warriors. 

We’ll start with a bodyweight warm-up that primes your joints and lights up the muscles you’ll actually use. Then a short skill set with your sandbag so your body knows what’s coming. Finally, you’ll dive into the workout that's scalable, gritty, and built for wherever you train.

And of course, we close it out with ruck mileage or duration because we finish what we start. This year isn’t going to conquer itself.

EQUIPMENT YOU NEED:

• Ruck
• OPTIONAL: Sandbag sequence from 15 to 50lbs. Use what you've got if you only have one. 

PROGRESSIONS / MODIFICATIONS

• Beginner: 2 rounds only, longer rest between movements.

• Intermediate: Full 3 rounds, short ruck (~1.5 mi).

• Advanced: Add a 4th round, or increase load and finish with longer ruck (~4 mi).

NOTES

• If needed, adjust the number of reps, time, or rounds to fit your fitness level.
• If needed, rest 1-2 minutes between rounds.
• Always do your warm-up to help prevent injuries.
• Some video demonstrations may depict exercise tools other than a ruck - the same cues and form will still apply unless otherwise noted.

WARM UP x 1 ROUND

SKILL SET x 3 ROUNDS

Progression: 15lbs > 30lbs > 50lbs (if applicable). Each round, go up in weight if that matches your fitness level. If not, just work on perfect form for three rounds with the weight right for you.

*On SB Deadlift to High Pull, make sure your elbows are parallel with your shoulders or just below. Your elbows should never go higher than parallel.

WORKOUT x 3 ROUNDS

Optional Finisher (Choose Based on Time/Level)

• Ruck for Distance: 1-2 miles (Beg/Int) | 2-4 miles (Adv)

• Ruck for Duration: 15-30 mins steady pace walk

OR if you're short on time:

• Ruck March Intervals:

  • 30s fast ruck pace + 30s recovery x 10-15 minutes